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The Moving Torment
NOTE: This is written in the belief of Municipal Darwinism. Summary The Moving Torment is set in the distant future, in an age known as the Traction Era. Earth has been reduced to wasteland by a devastating conflict, known as the Sixty Minute War. Nations no longer exist, except in the lands of the Anti-Traction League; Traction Cities - entire cities mounted on caterpillar tracks for mobility - are fiercely independent city-states, using giant jaws to devour one another for resources. Trade is mostly accomplished by airship, though sometimes cities of roughly equal size (unable to devour each other) will stop to trade. Old-Tech (technology from before the Traction Era, some of which is from the 21st century) is the most sought-after commodity. *'The Great Hunting Ground' - Consists of Europe and Northern Asia, and is the domain of the Traction Cities. It is a muddy wasteland, as the constant movement of the cities has destroyed all vegetation. The land is referred to by city-dwellers as the "Out-Country." As it is called the Great Hunting Ground it is likely to be the biggest in the world, with the most traction cities. *'The Ice Wastes' - New name for the Arctic, which is also home to Traction Cities which use iron runners to skate across the ice. In some places the ice is thin and a danger to traction cities as they risk falling in the ocean. *'Africa' - Africa is split between the Sahara Desert, which is a land of Traction Cities, and the southern regions, run by Anti-Tractionists. Areas of the southern continent include the static cities of Zagwa and Tibetsi, and the highland area known as the Mountains of the Moon. *'The Dead Continent' - North America, reduced to an irradiated wasteland by the Sixty Minute War. Rumors abound as to whether it is completely dead or not, which is dis-proven when the city of Paris arrives by raft to find New York, and be completely destroyed by the American city. It is proven not to be completely dead; in the north there a forests with some animals which have managed to survive the Sixty Minute War. *'Asia' - The stronghold of the Anti-Traction League. Eastern China is evidently irradiated from the Sixty Minute War, and the Himalayas are now the center of civilization (the mountainous terrain making it impossible for cities to approach). On the outskirts, the old city of London is smashed and destroyed by its self destruction, the misfire of the MEDUSA laser weapon. *'Nuevo Maya' - New name for South America, which was severed from North America when "slow bombs" destroyed Central America during the Sixty Minute War. Like Africa and Eurasia, South America is split: static settlements rule the Andes, but the lowlands are filled with Traction Cities. *'The Hundred Islands' - Possibly the islands in the Pacific or the Caribbean Islands. They are mentioned several times during the quartet but never visited directly. It is apparently the home of raft cities. *'Antarctica' - Mentioned only once, and is evidently the domain of oil-drilling Traction Cities. Cities North America Juneau While not the biggest of the North American traction cities, Juneau is often called the King of the North, where it reigns supreme against smaller settlements, occasionally moving south to prey on larger cities in the north of the United States (Billings its latest target). New York The colossal megalopolis has over 23 stories, its ancient skyscrapers dominating the top level, and the in between holding huge turrets and airfields for zeppelins, while the rest holds the cities massive population. Its last prey was the European city of Paris, which had come to explore North America, unfortunately meeting its demise from the super city. Chicago Still an industrial power, Chicago roams the states of the Midwest devouring towns whole and occasionally coming into contact with New York. These clashes actually act as an unofficial population control, as hundreds to thousands of people die in the battles. Detroit Detroit worked itself into a doomed start, driving itself into the Atlantic Ocean while being chased by Miami into Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The city bobbed about for a few minutes, before the lower structures flooded and it became stuck in Cape Cod, now a sort of island and airship refueling city. Dallas The large city prowls the Southern states of the the old US, occasionally launching air armada's against Miami and the Californian cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco. Washington D.C. The United States capital casually strolls across the central area's of the old country, preying literally on any township likes it old government used too. At the head of the knocked over and hollowed out Washington Monument, is the Diamond Bat orbital laser, having literally been caught by D.C. and mounted as a laser weapon, in similar fashion to London's old MEDUSA laser. Los Angeles The trade capital of the traction cities of the Southwest, Los Angeles moves along Southern California, Nevada, and Arizona, trading with and eating up small towns and cities. San Francisco San Francisco in a hunter metropolis, speeding cross the deserts of the Southwest devouring everything in its path, no matter how big. The city is largely dis-functional in places, from decades of heavy combat and violence. It is ruled by a mute dictator, whom apparently saved the old leader from a snake bite, when in actuality the young man threw a rattlesnake on him. Las Vegas Las Vegas exists only as a relic, having long ago burnt itself down in the largest inferno since the collapse of London. Salt Lake City Salt Lake City suffered the same fate as London, when it tried to scale the Rocky Mountains, it got stuck, and an avalanche flipped it upside down. Now the citizens live in an upside down style. linking together with bridges and avoiding avalanches as much as possible. Eventually, the amassed snow on its underside will collapse it down the side of the mountain, but for now it is thoroughly stuck. Miami Often called "The Roadrunner City", Miami constantly chases cities to their doom, blowing apart their caterpillar tracks with missile launchers and ship guns, then devouring them like a lion would an elephant. Its only rival city that poses a threat is New York. Toronto Being a floating city much like Detroit, Toronto floats up and down the Saint Lawrence river devouring pieces of other cities as they move past. Ontario This wreck of a city was struck blind by a space shuttle launch by Miami, the tons of fuel blowing it in half and leaving it as 2 cities parallel to each other. Now it has become static. Iqualit With a clear road to the Atlantic, Iqualit has taken to the high sea's and is now fighting Algiers in Northern Africa. Victoria Taking the same road as Iqualit, Victoria has fled into the ocean and landed in Hawaii, devouring Honolulu in a battle that sunk the Hawaiian islands. Mexico City Mexico City plays the role of New York, only in Central America. The city clambers about on the same treads as most other cities, but can turn the top levels in a 360 degree spin, allowing its cannons to tear other cities apart. Its latest victim was Veracruz. Veracruz Veracruz built its sail and such, ready to drop into the Caribbean and dominate the cities there. However, Mexico City caught up to it, tore down its sails, and devoured it piece by piece. Havana Havana is the 3rd most powerful of the North American cities, being able to move on land and in the sea. After eating every settlement in Cuba, it disembarked from the island and is somewhere in the North Atlantic. Europe London Once the most powerful city on the planet with the MEDUSA device as its crown jewel, the weapons misfiring wiped out it ability to move and it is left in self ruin along the western Himalaya's, crumbling back into the Earth. The city of New London was built by the survivors, and now hovers above the world with gravity manipulating generators. Paris Tearing apart most of its buildings (including the Eiffel Tower), Paris followed the aspiration that North America was lush and swam across the Atlantic. The first other city it encountered was New York, which shot it to pieces and devoured it. Berlin This large city eats smaller towns and cities, avoiding the gargantuan Moscow and last fought Saint Petersburg. Moscow The supergiant Traction City of Europe. Moscow is home to millions of people from within itself and from the cities its devoured, and has 23 tiers, complete with missile launchers, entire battleships worth of cannons, and dozens of armada's of airships. The Gut of Moscow holds most of the citizenry, unlike in London, the richest live where its warmest to escape Russian winter. Saint Petersburg Vienna Rome Athens Kiev Belgrade Oslo Asia Tokyo Beijing Seoul Pyongyang New London Tehran Ankara Constantinople Jerusalem Africa Algiers Rabat Tunis Cairo Timbuktu Nuevo Maya Bogota Rio de Janeiro Brasilia Caracas Lima Santiago